AALAC announces new partnership with UN Women MCO-Caribbean

WASHINGTON, DC – The Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center (AALAC) announced today a new partnership with the UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean to tackle the most pressing gender-based challenges in the Caribbean, which will focus particularly on Guyana and Jamaica.

“Women and girls in the Caribbean face unique challenges that prevent them from reaching equal footing in society,” said Valentina Sader, AALAC associate director and leader of the center’s gender-related work. “These include lack of access to critical resources to rebuild after natural disasters and barriers to political representation.”

Studies suggest that elected or appointed women represent less than half of all political offices in the Caribbean, and that 46 percent of women in the region experience violence at least once in their lifetime.

AALAC will leverage its global and regional networks and its uniquely positioned Caribbean Initiative to raise awareness and foster dialogue on the challenges facing women and girls in the Caribbean. Specifically, the project will cover:

1. Peace, security, and gender-based violence

2. Democracy and political representation

3. Economic recovery and empowerment

4. Climate and climate financing

“In the same way that the Atlantic Council has been able to strengthen relationships between civil society organizations and policymakers in the United States and across Latin America, I feel confident that the Caribbean will greatly benefit from this proven capacity,” said UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean Representative Tonni Brodber.

AALAC will work with UN Women to hold discussions and consultations with in-region individuals and organizations, multilateral groups, private sector representatives, and financial institutions. A key objective will be to facilitate a deeper understanding of social norms around gender in the Caribbean, build momentum and secure buy-in from relevant stakeholders across sectors and regions, and generate concrete policy recommendations with a gender-based approach for the Caribbean.

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ABOUT THE ADRIENNE ARSHT LATIN AMERICA CENTER

The Atlantic Council’s nonpartisan Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center (AALAC) broadens understanding of regional transformations while demonstrating why Latin America and the Caribbean matter for the world. The center focuses on pressing political, economic, and social issues that will define the region’s trajectory, proposing constructive, results-oriented solutions to inform public sector, business, and multilateral action based on a shared vision for a more prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable future.

Its Caribbean Initiative began programming in February 2021 to raise awareness about key Caribbean Community (CARICOM) priorities with US and global stakeholders while deepening US engagement with the region around shared interests. The Initiative is a platform for US and Caribbean stakeholders to offer new and innovative insights to advance a closer US-Caribbean partnership and the overall prosperity, stability, and well-being of the region.

ABOUT UN WOMEN

UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. For more information visit [ Click to reveal ]